Shaun White on Leno: X-Games, gum, mustaches and more

Remember when it was a big deal for an action sports athlete to land a spot on a late night talk show? Well, it used to be, until Shaun White started making appearances on those shows every couple months.

With X-Games right around the corner, NBC was feeling the need to get in on the action and booked Mr. White for yet another appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno late last night.

Leno introduced White as the “Greatest Snowboarder of all-time,” while Shaun sauntered in sporting a refined look and a massive mustache. Their conversation bounced between the Dew Tours and X Games, and White’s motivation to do well in both. Once the necessary plugs for the contests were in place, the duo talked about all the other things Shaun has his hand in. From rally car racing, to his cameo in the Summer blockbuster, Friends with Benefits– they covered it all.Then Jay’s second guest of the evening, Olivia Wilde, came out and White turned all Oprah-like by presenting her with gifts. The first was a jacket from the women’s line of Burton’s the White Collection and the second was a pack of Stride Whitemint gum, which is apparently Shaun’s new signature flavor of the sugary chew…

That left us a bit speechless.

Here’s everything that unraveled:

Leno Part 1

Leno Part 2

Leno Part 3

Cameo in Friends with Benefits

As all the action ramps up tomorrow for X Games 17, we’re wondering how many over-caffeintaed kids, chewing gigantic pieces of Whitemint gum, will show up screaming for autographs from their favorite redhead? Perhaps even wearing pasted-on mustaches?